This poem was originally rooted in the pandemic and quarantine, but evolved into a piece on introspection, rumination, and growth.
Story
Lena Habtu
(she/her) Mentee
Lena Habtu, simply put, is a poet. She is passionate about advocacy and community organizing, but the outlet through which she processes and recounts lived experience has always been poetry. Her works have been recognized by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
Favorite Authors & Artists
Jia Tolentino, Kimberle Crenshaw, bell hooks
Story
passed down
Sammi and I both lost our fathers at a young age and writing this poem together has been a way for us to both process our losses and better understand ourselves.
Story
palatable
“palatable” is a product of my experiences as a young black girl at a predominantly white school. Particularly, it’s my examination of the concept of palatability, and what it means to prepare yourself for consumption.
Story
exist(ing)
My piece was inspired by an article in ZORA, a publication by and for women of color, entitled “Black Women Are Driving a New R&B Resistance” by Mary Retta. Black women’s identities have been degraded for so long that in attempts to uplift us, we’re portrayed as deities instead of human.
Story
pink
“pink” is a poem rooted in social commentary. In this poem, I examine my own internalized misogyny, and how it influenced my actions as I was growing up. The history of “gendered” colors is a fascinatingly peculiar one, as blue was once considered tame and feminine, while the “blood-resembling” pink was gallant and masculine.